Fragile Roses
by Last Haven
Summary: Maya, an actual character not OC, remembers the past after a surprising encounter with a demon. After a sudden reunion it seems she will never get to be normal again!...like she was ever normal...COMPLETE AS IT'S EVER GOING TO BE, abandoned
1. Maya

**Disclaimer: I don't own Yu Yu Hakusho. **

**Maya is a real character in the manga and it is shown she has feelings for Kurama (he's her first love) and it's hinted he returns these feelings. She appeared in Two-Shot, when Kurama and Hiei first met.**

**Major overhaul of old fan fiction ahoy! That's right, quite a bit of this is going to be rewritten and it will be _painful._**

_**Oye ve…**_

- -

Maya Kitajima hadn't known what had drawn her to her old school building on that day but something had most definitely called to her. She had been walking down the street, smoothing out her black skirt while juggling her groceries bags in her hands, when she had been struck to peer up. Already halfway past the gates, she turned and looked up at the big building.

It was ramshackle husk of the junior high school it had once been. Back in her ninth grade year there had been a sudden infestation of mold, vermin, and other unpleasant things that had prompted the closing of the building as she left that final year for high school.

"Oh wow," she sighed to herself, "has it really been so long since they closed it down?" She heaved another big sigh and as she did so she caught sight of a small, chipped sign that read: 'DO NOT ENTER! SITE SLATED FOR DECONSTRUCTION!"

"Huh, so they really are tearing this building down?" she asked no one, pondering how the fate of such a nice building had turned south so fast that last year. She dimly recalled something about mold being the big problem but then her vision began to swim and another image over ran her mind.

_The green fungus looking thing suddenly trembled a bit and then shot out the window like a rocket and then_

"Oh," she gasped, shaking her head violently. "What in the world was that about?" she pondered aloud.

For a moment she stared up at the building, grasping at the edge of her faded memories before giving up. She glanced down to her groceries in her arms and was half way through her decision just to simply go home when she caught sight of the sign again.

"Deconstruction…hmm," she hummed lightly. Finally she smiled and stuck her groceries inside the wall surrounding the old building to keep them from sight. _Well, one could hardly blame me for wanting a little peak of my childhood before they tore it down, right?_ she giggled a little deviously before she tip toed into the building.

Maya wrinkled her nose as she danced around a few fallen beams and puddles of water. Dust drifted on the air, dancing in the shafts of light. The building had started to really decay over the few short years since she had gone there last and she could hardly recognize it anymore. "Geez, you'd think it'd been twenty years instead two since this place closed. …I wonder why it's in such a rough state? I bet there's mold growing wild in every nook and cranny in this place," she huffed. She turned the corner and her hands flew up and pressed against her mouth. "Oh, oh—it's our _pictures!"_

She hadn't recognized the room when she had walked in but looking at it, she knew it to be her old art room. On the wall was water colored pictures of red block dogs and blue circle cats. Grinning faces, waving hands, and cheerful little suns shone through the dust and age and called to her. She smiled, bringing her hands down as her fingers trailed over the pictures.

"I-I had forgotten all our lovely pictures—Watanabe-sensei must have never taken them down," she laughed. "I'd...forgotten..."

_A green slimly little thing, looking remarkably like mold, shot out the window. Oh, it had smelled horrible... She hoped that he was alright as she opened her mouth to speak_

For a moment the memory jarred her, almost letting her grasp it. Just for a moment she had nearly remembered again. Maya sighed and walked out of the room. _Damn,_ she thought, _I almost had it! So close I could practically taste it._

She walked down the halls, smiling once more as memories danced about her—not the jeering, half-forgotten ones at least—and chuckling at locations of old days—_that's the loo where Miho-chan flooded all the toilets! Oh, there's that old locker that never opened! And there's that old water fountain that squirted anyone who dared to drink from it._

She laughed as she walked the halls but stopped suddenly and sneezed violently. "Ah-choo!" she swiped at her nose with a handkerchief, and waited for her tearing eyes to clear. She looked down at ground and noticed a large green stain upon the floor trailing up unto wall. _There's some more of that damn mold again._ She glared at it and it's lingering odor, _so foul_, in half remembrance.

_"It was so...gross...and **smelly! ** Are things like that **always **so **repulsive?"**_

_"I'm sure you're mistaken, Maya."_

She gasped loudly as the memory finally started to come to her. "Oh, I really nearly had it that time, if only I'd just-

"Meeoow..."

Maya jumped in surprise, and looked down the corridor. In the shadows, a black cat peered at her. Around it's neck was a string with a tiny bell attached jingling as it stalked her curiously. The cat looked at her and mewled again. She stared at it before recognizing it.

"Oh, really," she laughed a bit relieved and a bit disappointed that it hadn't been a ghost, "of _all_ things! If it isn't the old class kitten, Kozue! Well, I guess you're a kitten no longer," she bent and gestured to it. The sleek cat slinked out of the shadows and to her hands. "Goodness, you must be nearly six years old; how long have you been living here?"

That cat mewled and twisted and twined around her hands purring like a motorboat, it mewed happily then bounded away before she could anything however. Maya blinked and jumped up. The cat mewled again and ran off, with each move she made he ran farther and farther from her.

"Oh, Kozue! Wait, come back," she yelped as she chased after him. He hopped over garbage and around puddles and raced out of the building. She chased after, racing to catch up. He led her out into a garden of weeds, long since had it choked the life out of itself. She stopped and stared at the wild garden. "Oh, it's our old garden..." she smiled as she walked to it. She remembered her and her classmates puttering out here in this little garden, but none of the plants grew better than those specially cared for by Shuichii. "...Shuichii," she whispered fondly, remembering seeing him bending over some little begonia so delicately as he cared for it.

This time however she didn't have a moment for a memory to overtake her when she heard a very loud "meow". Maya lifted her head to see the cat by some bushes. She smoothed out her skirt and delicately she walked throughout the garden of weeds trying not to crush anything. The cat slipped right into the bushes without even a rustle. She blinked and danced to the bush. Grabbing some of the foliage, she pulled it back to peer a cat but not the one she had thought she'd find.

Well, it looked like a cat at least at first; it had silver blue fur, elongated ears like a fox, and two sleek tails. It opened a blue eye—with no iris, but the entire _eye_, pale icy blue—and mewled piteously. _It smells like spring rain_, she thought in wonder. Upon its back, blood had dried the fur in thick clumps and a gash on it's front paw was crusted over making it quite a sight.

"Oh, you poor thing!" she coed reaching for it, already wanting to mother it. "C'mere and let's look at those-"

_Shuichii jumped away with that demon fighting him_

_She was being carried off-that disgusting smelling thing again_

_Oh...this one smelled good...like roses..._

_"Kurama."_

She squeaked as the memories rushed forth making her sway on the spot. The cat peered up at her as she remembered. Suddenly, her lip trembled as she picked the cat up.

"Well," she squeaked finally, "I guess I did remember fi-finally!" She tried to laugh it off and began to make for home as quick as possible to care for the poor cat and to run from her memories. She straightened and peered about for Kozue the cat. "Was he...just a ghost, too?" she wondered, but her mind was detached and she didn't care to stick around to find out as she hurried back to the entrance.

- -

"There! All done," she announced as she tied a bandage around it's paw. The silver blue cat peered up at her and mewled appreciatively. Maya grinned down at him and lifted him up into her arms while cooing at him. "Let's see, you must be hungry."

She carried the cat out of the bathroom where she had been tending to his wounds. She walked down the hall, and he rested his head upon her arm as they headed to the kitchen. She pulled a small dish from an overhead cupboard, opened a can of tuna, then put him and the dish down. He mewed curiously as he sniffed eagerly as she poured the food into the dish.

"There you go, tuna—fresh from the can," she laughed. The cat mewled happily at her and began to eat. She grinned at him as her mind began to drift.

_He jumped away, a blade of grass becoming a saber in his grasp._

She frowned, fighting tears. "It was...he was...what was he?"

The cat stopped eating and peered up at her, watching and realizing she was upset. Leaving the tuna, he leaped up into her lap and rubbed against her with a piteous mew. She jumped and looked at him, and he mewled up at her, trying to comfort her. Her face quickly softened as she looked at him.

"Are you worried about me, little one?" she asked, scratching under his chin. His two tails batted contently behind him as she scratched his chin. She sighed and pulled him closer to her, so he rolled onto his side so she could pet his stomach. She chuckled at him but pet him anyway. "I'm alright. It's just that..." she drew up short and lifted him up to her face. "Now see here, what are you?"

The cat mewled and twitched his nose at her.

"Are you a ghost?"

The cat shook his head no. Maya raised a brow and tried again.

"Then maybe...an alien?"

The cat mewled and shook his head no as if disgusted at the idea.

_A musky odor...foul, tainted...six arms...demon..._

**_Demon..._**

"...a demon?" she asked. This time the cat mewled happily and jumped to her shoulders, rubbing against her head and purred. "Well, wait, hey," she laughed. The cat rubbed his head against her cheek. She grinned at it. "Okay, okay...a demon, really?" She sighed and stroked his head. "That helps explain things..."

The cat's ears perked suddenly making him raise his head and peer about nervously.

"Huh? What's wrong?" she asked as he looked about. Suddenly, he sprang from her shoulder and scratched at the door like his life depended on it; curious, she got up and hurried to him. "Hold on! Let me get the door-" And as soon as she opened it, he sprang through the little foyer to scratch at the sliding glass door. She opened that too and he jumped out into her backyard. "Hey, where are you going?!"

The cat's ears perked from side to side, listening to the night. Maya stood behind, slightly worried. One of the bushes lining her fence rustled, the cat inched closer to it, ears slicked against his skull. He inched even closer and his ears swerved forward.

"What is it?" she whispered, walking slowly to the cat.

The cat squeaked and dashed away as some_thing_ lunged out of the bushes at him. Maya gapped when she saw it—it was a horrible vision of an Hollywood horror monster, complete with green, bubbled skin. For a moment she stood there, staring in disbelief, before the cat, shooting like a silver comet across the ground, brushed against her as it raced away. She yelped and ran after it, away from the creature that trumpeted a roar in the night.

"Why is this happening?!" she cried as she followed the cat. It raced on and dashed into—of all places she didn't want to be—a cemetery. She huffed and raced in after him, intent on not being left behind to that _thing_. The cat hopped up the stairs, stopping only once to peer back at her before dashing away again. She ran on, only to slip and fall on the steps.

The air flew out of her as she landed hard on the stone steps and her right knee in particular cried out in protest as it was split on a rock. That cat peered back at her then bounded over to as she struggled to get up. Behind her, the monster roared again and then suddenly launched itself over the gat and landed in front of her, she gasped and tried to scurry to her feet. The cat jumped in front of her, looking as though it was saying _oh no you don't!_

He let out a ferocious growl for being so small, the fur on his back rising, his two sleek tails becoming bottle brushy. His eyes glowed silver, and his ears slicked back.

The creature roared and lunged at him making Maya scream in fright—until arms grabbed him and held back. Maya nearly yelped in relief until she saw what was holding him back—grisly skeletons wrapped their bone arms around him and she gaped like an idiot.

"We-well!" whimpered Maya as she inched back from the sight. "Be-beggars can't b-be choosers, e-eh?" She'd wanted a savior, and now she had quite a few.

The monster ripped the skeletons away to just have more cling to it. Maya realized the skeletons glowed silver prompting her to peer down at the cat and she saw that he too glowed silver. Putting two and two together, Maya realized that the sweet little cat was controlling the skeletons. _First ghost cats, now demon cats, all that's left is talking ones! _ She kept her gaze locked on the cat but cringed when she heard a loud snap and the demon fell to the ground in a large heap.

She snapped her eyes shut to try and forget the image of that foul beast as it died, and listened as the soft pattering of paws came close to her. She opened an eye to see the cat sitting at her side expectantly. "You-you really _are_ a demon?"

The cat nodded. She sat up and stared at the demon's corpse before she turned back to the cat.

"You saved my life."

The cat's tails twitched. She smiled down at it.

"Thank you." The cat mewled happily and jumped into her arms, having gotten the reaction it wanted and began to love on her. "Just curious—are you a boy cat demon?"

The cat shook _her_ head no and Maya couldn't help but smile down at her. "You need a name...how about...Meina?" she asked lifting her up to eye level. "Do you like it?"

The cat mewled happily.

"It's decided then-Meina." Maya got up. "Would you like to live with me?" The cat mewled in contentment and burrowed deep in her arms. Maya grinned and began the long walk home with her new friend happily purring in her arms.

- -

_"Dearest Diary,_

_Today I found a demon cat! She has two tails and can control the dead just like legends says!_

"_I remembered today. **Everything**._

_Darling Shuichii...Kurama..."_

Maya lifted the pen from the page. She sat at her bed with her diary open on her lap with Meina sitting next to her, content and curled up in a ball. Maya grinned and petted the demon cat.

She picked the cat up, and climbed into bed. Meina mewled and jumped to the foot of the bed, searching for a good spot to sleep. "Good night, Meina," whispered Maya. She smiled and peered out the window; a big, full moon peered in at her. "Kurama..." she sighed a bit before she fell asleep, her final thoughts being _One day, I'm going to find him, then smack him up the head and find out what was really going on…and maybe then I'll really forgive him._

- -

**RECONSTRUCTED CHAPTER ONE: FINISHED.**


	2. Reikai Tantei

"To who it may concern-"began Maya as she typed on her computer. Meina, fully recovered and divested of bandages, mewed happily from her wicker basket underneath the window. Maya grinned at the blue silver cat, and turned back to the computer to continue typing.

_"To who it may concern,"_ started Maya with a grin. _"I am proud to announce the grand reopening of the Paranormal Investigation and Activity Website! The site was in desperate need of revamping-to better facilitate viewing of this site we had to purchase higher and faster broadband connection cables-not to mention better bandwidth."_

Maya grinned and sat back away from the computer. She shut it off and got up, stretching. She turned to the two tailed cat. "C'mon, Meina, let's go make dinner!"

_ Maya Kitajima. Age: 18 years old. In her childhood she fell in love with Shuichii Minamino, A.K.A. Kurama. To keep her safe, he used a pollen to make her forget. She did forget until recently, when she met the nekonata demon Meina. Meina has been living with Maya for three weeks after a demon attacked Maya. What Maya doesn't realize is that demons are attracted to her new pet. _

Maya laughed as she raced the demon cat down the stairs. Meina mewed happily as it raced for her cat dish.

_ Maya's parents are business owners, so she stays home every night since her parents work late, so they don't miss any business calls. Maya is a popular girl but doesn't have many friends. _

Maya grinned as she opened a can of cat food and feed it to her. Meina mewed and began to eat her food happily.

---------------

Koenma sighed as he waited for Botan to hurry up. He looked down at the folder on his desk. He was rather hesitant to hand this case over but it was getting out of hand...

"Yes, sir?" asked Botan as she poked her head through the door, "You called for me, sir?"

"Hmm, yes, Botan, come in." he sighed. Botan walked in and up to his desk. "Botan, I want you to take this to Yusuke-It has all he needs to complete this next assignment to him."

Botan took the folder, looking curiously at it. She looked back to Koenma. "Sir? Since Yusuke isn't the Spirit Detective, shouldn't we _not-?"_

"Shh!" he hushed her. "My father doesn't quite know that I'm giving Yusuke cases. Besides-it's not like I'm _not_ paying him."

Botan raised a brow. "Are we, sir?"

"Yes, who else do you think has being doing these cases-and it's not like I would give him one if it hasn't gotten serious." he huffed. "Just give to him, Botan."

"Yes, sir!"

---------------

Yusuke and Kuwabara sat staring at Botan who was sitting on Kuwabara's bed. The way she grinned at them gave them a sinking feeling in their stomachs.

"Well, guys, great news-" she began.

"-I've got another case for you to solve." groaned Yusuke and Kuwabara as the same time as her. She blinked before stuck her tongue out at them.

"Oh, knock it off!" she huffed and waved the folder in front of their noses. "Everything you need to know about your case is in here!"

Groaning, Yusuke reached over and snatched the manilla folder from her hands. "So what's this about anyway?" He flipped it open to see pictures clipped to some papers. The first picture showed a silver blue cat, with blue eyes, long tapering ears, and two tails. "A cat. We're not finding Koenma's lost cat are we?"

"A cat!" squeaked Kuwabara and tugged the folder from his hands. Botan huffed.

"No, it's neither Koenma's nor do you need to find it."

"So, what? Are we killing it, cause I think that's a violation to some animal rights..."

"Yusuke! It's a demon!" she snapped, "You don't have kill it anyways-just get to Spirit World. We'll take care of everything after that." Kuwabara looked up from the photo.

"Are you gonna kill it?" he asked with teary eyes. "Cause that not right! Even if it is a demon kitty..." he shuffled through the photos. "Besides, what would this girl say?"

Yusuke blinked and looked over at the other photos. Sure enough, a girl their age was holding the cat in her arms with it sleeping contentedly. "Who's the girl, Botan?"

Botan grabbed the papers from the folder and shuffled through them. "Ahh! Here it is-her name's Maya Kitajima. She's 18 years old. Three weeks ago she found that cat, and has been taking care of it."

"So what's the problem?" grumbled Yusuke.

"_The _problem is that the cat's being attracting demons like moths to a candle." harumphed Botan. "Miss Maya doesn't know about because the cat's been dispatching demons if they get too close. But those demons were only low-classed. Imagine if a high-class demon found it? Miss Maya is in danger as long as that cat's around."

"So we just got to capture this thing, right?" he asked, then grinned at her. "No problem, right?"

Botan nodded. "Just to tell you-Kurama and Hiei agreed to help."

---------------

Yusuke sat at the bench in front of the tiny store, which sold the cigarettes he was smoking at the moment, and watched as Maya and her cat, Botan had said it was named Meina, as they walked down the street. Maya carried a grocery bag in one hand and was grinning down at the cat, who bounded around at her feet. The cat mewed and ran out past her master.

Kuwabara and Kurama came up behind him, Hiei was hidden somewhere, and Botan was high above them on her oar. The cat raced out to the corner of the street and stopped waiting for Maya to catch up. It mewled and danced about excitedly.

Suddenly, Meina stopped. She perked her ears up and peered over at them.

"She sees us." murmured Kurama.

"Maybe we should just grab it now-" he halted as he heard Kurama gasp lightly. Yusuke blinked and twisted about to see Kurama had turned pale and was staring at the girl who had raced up to the cat. "Something wrong, Kurama?"

"Hey! Wait up!" laughed Maya from across the road. She laughed as her cat raced back to her and jumped up to her shoulders. The cat mewed and wounded itself around her neck. Maya laughed and began to walk home. The cat twisted itself around once more and plopped it's head down on her shoulder, staring at them.

"Kurama, what the hell-" Yusuke started.

"Yusuke, do you still have that communicator with Botan?" he asked. Yusuke blinked.

"Yeah, sure, what do you-"

"Can you ask Botan to come down here? I need to speak to her." Yusuke frowned and wondered if he should just say no to get back at him. Kurama smiled apologetically, and Yusuke grumbled as he had the communicator over to him.

---------------

Botan blinked as she flipped the communicator open to see Kurama's face on the screen. "Hi, Kurama. What can I do for you?"

"Botan, this girl who owns the cat..."

"Yes?"

"What was her name?"

Botan blinked. "Maya Kitajima." she looked at him curiously, "Why? Is something wrong?"

"No, nothing's wrong." and with that flipped off the communicator.

---------------

Maya whistled as she chopped up vegetables, dicing fast with the kitchen knife as the carrots befell it as prey. Meina mewled happily as she ate her cat food below her not to far from the door. "Good dinner, Meina?"

"Mew!" meowed the cat. Maya laughed and placed the carrots, along with the other chopped vegetables, in a pan and began to stir-fry them.

Out in the bushes, on the far side of her backyard, Yusuke and the others sat. "Uhh...she's cooking..." grumbled Yusuke.

"What's wrong with you, Urameshi?" muttered Kuwabara.

"She's cooking...and I'm hungry. We've been staking her out all day..." he grumbled. All of them turned to look into the kitchen window where Maya was joyfully making her dinner. A collective growl rose from their stomachs and they sighed.

---------------

"So, alright what are we going to do?" asked Yusuke. They had had to sit through watching her eat her entire dinner in front of them-to keep an eye on Meina they had had to move to some other bushes, so they saw the whole thing. Even watching Meina eating her cat food was horrible. Now, she was washing the dishes and they were still waiting for an opportunity to nab the cat.

Kurama sighed as the others sent him dark looks. Suddenly he perked up and began to rummage through his pockets.

"Something wrong, Kurama?" asked Botan peering at him.

"I-" he jabbed his hand into his coat pocket, "-have-" he yanked out his cell phone, "-an idea."

Inside the kitchen, Maya craned her head about and stared at the phone hanging above the sink. She wiped off her hands and reached for it. "Kitajima Residence, Maya speaking-oh, hi, papa!"

_"Maya, I wanted to check up on you."_ remarked her father on the other end of the line. _"Any calls?"_

"No, papa, it's been silent here at the house-just me and the cat." she laughed. "And I'm fine. How's the weekend at the spa been going?"

_"Oh, it's been fine."_ he answered. _"Your mother and I have been having a fine time."_

"I'm glad."

_"Look, Maya, I've got to go." _he hurried. _"I'll call you later-your mother's calling me!"_

"Oh-okay, bye, papa!" she shouted as the phone went dead.

Kurama frowned as they listened in on through the open window. Alright, he had what he needed. He gestured to Yusuke and Kuwabara to move to the house. He quickly dialed his phone and waited for Maya to pick up. He cleared his throat and Hiei and Botan looked at his curiously.

"Hi, Kitajima Residence-"

He cleared his throat and spoke. _"Maya, it's me again."_ Botan jumped a bit when she heard the different voice come from Kurama's throat.

"How'd he do that?" she asked. Hiei snorted.

"He's a kitsune-he's a shape shifter. If he couldn't change his voice his cover would be blown no matter what." Botan glared at him.

"Papa?" she asked confused. He continued.

_"Maya, I forgot to mention-the radio is saying a storm's rolling in."_

Maya frowned and cast a glance at the sky-it was overcast...

_"Can you make sure all the windows are shut?"_

Maya smiled-leave it to her father to call about the windows. "Yes, papa-I'll get 'em in a sec."

_"Thank you, Maya. Good night."_

Maya blinked. "Papa!"

Kurama faltered a moment. _"Yes?"_ Through the window he could see her pouting at the phone.

"Love you."

Hiei smirked maliciously while Botan giggled. "Well, answer her!"

"_I-I love you too, Maya."_

She grinned, at least this time he remembered! "Alright, papa, bye!"

_"G-good bye."_ He flipped the phone off and glared at Hiei and Botan, Hiei for smirking and Botan who had dissolved into a fit of giggles. "You two think you're rather funny, don't you?" Botan pressed her hands to her mouth to stop for laughing louder, Hiei smirked at him.

Inside, Maya put the phone back. "C'mon, Meina." The cat looked up her and huffed. "Alright, be that way, don't go running out." The cat went her back to her nap. Maya walked away. Meina opened an eye as she watched her leave but closed it as soon as she was out of sight. She began to fall back asleep but perked an ear up. She lifted her head up, twitching her ears back and forth.

Outside, Yusuke and Kuwabara slunk to the door. With Maya distracted, now was the perfect chance to get the cat and leave.

But Meina had different plans. She had become rather fond of living here with Maya, and Spirit World be damned, this is where she was staying!

She jumped up and raced after Maya. "Mew!" she cried as she hopped upon on of Maya's shoulders.

"Eep!" yelped Maya as the cat climb her like a scratching post. She shut the window she was in front slowly then turned her head to the cat. "What's up with you, Meina? Change your mind?" The cat mewled, rubbing and winding herself against Maya's neck. "Oh, alright! You can stay here with me-just no more scratching."

Kurama glared as the cat wound herself around Maya's neck. Hiei smirked and bent closer to him. "You know, Kurama, it's not a good thing when you get jealous of a cat." Kurama glared.

As Maya finished closing the windows she headed towards the kitchen door. Kurama and Botan blanched and tried to get Yusuke and Kuwabara's attention. They peered inside to see Maya walking to the door. They yelped and turned to the only tree in the yard and raced up it. Maya stepped outside and looked up at the sky. She stood there studying it a moment before the cat began mewing at her feet. "Alright, Meina, alright. Let's go back inside." As soon as they were inside, Maya stopped and looked back out the door before turning to the cat. "I'm going to take a bath before the storm hits, okay, Meina?" The cat mewled up at her.

She grinned down at it and began to walk away. To her surprise, Meina followed. "Coming, Meina? But, you hate water..."

"Mew!"

"Alright, c'mon." she laughed and walked into the bath.

---------------

"So, where'd she go?" asked Botan again. Maya had walked away and disappeared with the cat on her heels for the last fifteen minutes. One of the lights downstairs turned off, and the cat raced in front of the door, turned the corner and raced up the stairs. The lights flipped off and they Maya's hands close the door while saying "Oops, left the door open."

Up in the tree, Yusuke nearly jumped when Meina appeared in an open window upstairs. He elbowed Kuwabara and pointed to the cat. "Lower me down. I got an idea." Kuwabara grabbed his feet and lowered him down. Yusuke bent forward, reaching for the cat when Meina turned around and looked at him. _Shit._

Maya-who had a rather relaxing bath so she had forgotten Meina's odd behavior-had just her pants on and was reaching for a shirt when Meina produced a long, low hiss. "What's up with-"

Kurama jumped up and out of the bushes when he heard Maya scream "PERVERTS!" Hiei and Botan had to fight with him to get him back in the bushes-that was before a flash red shot out of her bushes and Yusuke came tumbling down with a red bat next to him. Kuwabara jumped down out of the tree, grabbed his unconscious friend and made a run for it over, nearly flying over the fence behind them. They heard footsteps racing down the stairs inside and the three of them scrambled back in the bushes.

Maya came out-with a shirt hastily shoved on-with a flashlight in hand. She found her bat and raised it menacingly in the air as she shone the light around the backyard. Meina bounded out beside her and began to wander about. She pricked her ears up and sniffed the air, and began walking right towards their bushes. Maya followed shining her light at the bushes.

Very, very quietly Kurama and Botan leaned away while Hiei inched the other way. Maya stuck her bat into bush to separate it. They held their breathes as she looked down inside the bush-and then turned away. She flashed the flashlight about a few more times than went inside, bat in hand with cat in front of her.

Botan let out a loud sigh of relief-Maya stopped, whirled around and chucked the bat straight into the bush. Hiei had to duck very, very low to narrowly avoid get a bat impaled in his head. She walked back and wrenched the bat back out. She sighed and walked back inside, making sure to lock the door this time.

---------------

"Hello, police?" Maya asked into a receiver. "I'd like to file a report-earlier this evening a couple of boys were peeping inside my house. ...No I didn't get a clear look at them...alright, tomorrow morning? Yes, I'll come down to the station. ...No, you don't need to send an officer over...yes, they ran off...yes, I'll be fine. Thank you, good night."

Meina looked up at her mistress as she paced her room. Maya had called up some friends and warned them that perverts were in their neighborhood.

Suddenly, Maya stopped and screamed in frustration. "UGH! Meina-those jerks saw me without a shirt! God, I hate them!"


	3. Kurama

Meina had never seen her mistress so stressed or angry. Ever since she had chased off those-what had she called them? Perverts?-she had been like this. Meina thought it was rather silly. She wondered if Maya needed a nice nap-Meina was a firm believer in that cat naps was a stress reliever. Or maybe her mistress needed a nice mouse-eating was always good. Perhaps another bath...

Maya huffed and tossed herself unto the bed. Meina blinked owlishly, got up from her spot at the foot of the bed, and daintily walked to her mistress' head. She peered down, mewled, and licked her cheek. Maya blinked and looked at her. Her expression softened.

_ Maya Kitajima. Age: 18. Until recently, Maya was living an average life. But all that changed when the demon cat Meina appeared. Now Meina lives with Maya at Maya's home. Maya's parents are business owners, so most nights she spends at home to take important phone calls. She doesn't have a lot of friends. _

"Oh, Meina..." she chuckled. She sat up and swept the cat into her arms. "Did I upset you?"

The cat meowed up at her and licked her jaw.

"Don't worry, Meina...I'm just a little...upset myself." she sighed. "Just give me some time..."

---------------

"We don't have any time!" snapped Yusuke. "Let's just the damn cat and get done with it!" He sat down hard upon the Kurama's bedroom floor. Botan raised a brow.

Kuwabara caught the look and leaned over to her. "Ever since Urameshi got nailed by that bat, he's been wanting to get this over with." Botan nodding while Yusuke glared at both of them.

"What was that?" sneered Yusuke. Kurama decided to interrupt before things got out of hand.

"So, shall we try again tonight?" he asked. "It has been a week since we tried to get the cat."

"Fine!" snapped Yusuke. "Let's just get it done with!"

---------------

Maya walked down the sidewalk carrying a plastic bag with milk sticking out. "I can't believe we ran out of milk so quick, Meina!"

That cat, who was prancing and bounding down by Maya's feet, mewled and ran ahead.

"Ah, Meina!" yelped Maya, racing to catch up. "Wait up!"

Meina mewled and danced about, waiting for Maya. Maya laughed and grinned. Meina stopped and perked her ears forward. The night had grown fast since Maya and her had left the house on their errand and now the streets were dark and menacing. She stopped and peered down the empty street, ears pivoting about on her head.

"Meina?" asked Maya. "Meina, what is it? Do you see something?"

The cat stepped forward, standing as still as a sphinx. Her ears swerved forward and her eyes widened. "Meow!" she shrieked and jumped away.

Maya shrieked. Where Meina had been standing a young man was crouching, reaching for her cat. She yelped and hurled the bag at him. The bag hit dead on what is it with her and hitting Yusuke with objects? Keiko'll be jealous... and milked exploded all over, soaking the young man. "Run for it, Meina!"

---------------

Yusuke sat soaked, sopping wet with milk dripping down him. Kuwabara and the others stared down at him trying not to laugh. "You know, Urameshi..."

"Don't start!"

"...this may not be the luckiest case for you." snickered Kuwabara. Yusuke glared at them.

"Oh, shut up!" he snapped, jumping to his feet. "We gotta catch them!"

"Well, they're not heading home at the moment-they went in a different direction." answered Kurama.

"Fine then! Let's get going!"

---------------

Maya wheezed trying to follow Meina as the nekonata demon raced down the street. To her surprise, Meina turned back and looked at her. In front of her the wrought iron bar gates of the very cemetery that Meina had led her to the first time she had met her stood, heavily padlocked and sturdy. A cemetery seemed an odd haven, but a demon for a pet had to be just as odd.

Maya stopped at the gates, wrapping a hand around the gate and using her other hand to brace against her knee. She huffed and breathed deeply while Meina looked up patiently at her. Maya grinned down at her. "Al-alright, Meina. Let's go." Meina mewled and slipped between the bars. Maya sighed and reached up to scale the gate.

With an "Oof." as she landed, Maya landed in a crouch, straightened, and brushed off her legs. "Okay, Meina. We'll just hide here til later, when their sure to be gone, ne-eeh!" squeaked Maya and jumped. In front of her, a short man in black landed. He looked up at her indifferently and snatched the cat up. "Meina!" she yelped, then glared at him. He raised a brow but still held the kicking and hissing cat out in front of him. "Give her back to me!" she snapped and lunged out to yank the cat away. He reached out and caught her wrist and she gulped.

Meina saw this and went ballistic. She wrenched about and bit deep through the bandages of his arm to the soft skin of his wrist. He hissed and the cat jumped away. He lunged to grab the cat. Maya yelped and kicked at the back of his knee. It jarred and shocked him enough to let go of her.

"Run!" she yelped to Meina and dashed off deeper into the graveyard. She barely got three yards before she felt arms latch unto her arms and she looked back to see two young men grab her. "Lemme go! ...why are you so wet!" she asked, but hissed knowing the answer. "You ...jackass! Why are you after Meina!"

Meina stopped and hissed. She began to glow an ominous silver blue and her eyes pulsed with energy.

"What's it doing?" asked the redhead on her left. Suddenly, both boys yelped as decayed, skeletonal hands tugged on them. Maya wrenched away and reached to grab the cat. The other boy-the wet one-yelped and caught her again.

"Oh no, you-what the hell is up with the corpses!"

Suddenly, the corpses collapsed. Maya gasped and looked for Meina-to find held tightly in the arms of another red head. Maya practically growled. "Give her back to-" she ground out before coming out short. She looked at those green eyes, memory tickling the back of her head and took a deep whiff of the air.

_...this smell...so pleasant..._

Maya stared up in shock.

_...like a bouquet of roses..._

"Shu..." she gasped. "Shuichii...Minamino?"

The others stared rather shocked at her while Shuichii..._No,_ tickled her memory, _Kurama_ stared at her looking...very displeased. Suddenly, the feeling of anger just turned to lead in her stomach and she nearly panted. He stared at her a moment than began to leave. The angry feeling returned and she tried to lunge forward.

"Give me Meina!" she snapped.

The sopping one glared down at her. "You're not in a position to demand anything, missy!"

"Shut up, you jerk!" she snapped at him.

"Bitch!"

"Bastard!"

"Whore!"

Kurama wheeled around to glared at them. Maya had had enough.

"Son of a filthy she-demon!" She kicked his shin hard with the back of her heel. He jumped on one leg, keeping a firm grip. She growled and jumped on his one foot-it didn't hurt him but sent him crashing to the ground by being unbalanced. She jumped away and stomped straight up to Kurama. She huffed and shook her finger in his face making him lean back with a sweat drop rolling down his face. "You give her back or...or, I'll tell your mother exactly _what _you are!"

He stared at her in shock along with the others. Then his eyes softened into ...what? Sorrow? Regret? Relief?

He opened up his arms and the cat shot out in her arms. Maya bent her head down to stare at Meina-she was the only one to see the tears threatening to rain down. She turned around and began to walk away before stopping. She stood a moment before half turning and smiling at them. "Thank you...for returning Meina..."

---------------

Maya sighed as she tapped her pen against her notebook.

_"Well, I've had a rather rough day. Meina and I ran into those perverts again-actually, I think that they were out to get Meina, though I don't know why-so we had to make a quick escape to the grave yard again._

_"But something happened...I meet Shu-no, Kurama, and told him to let Meina go or I tell his family._

_"I wish I hadn't need to done that...I miss my old friend..."_

She sighed again and put the pen down. She got up and shut the light off before falling to bed.

Kurama, standing in the middle of her backyard, waited until long after the lights went off before leaving.


	4. Botan

Maya sighed as she plopped down in her seat at her school desk. Her friend, Akina, leaned back in her seat to talk to her. "So, Maya, how'd your summer vacation go?"

Maya laughed and slammed her head against the desk. Akina raised a blonde brow.

"That bad, eh?"

"That barely covers it..." she huffed. Akina laughed.

"I heard you got a new cat." Akina mentioned. Maya sighed and lifted her head up.

"Her name's Meina."

_ Maya Kitajima. Age: 18. Maya is a young woman with six sense. Maya lives with a demon two tailed cat, a nekonata named Meina. Maya recently remembered that her childhood crush, Shuichii Minamino AKA Kurama, was a demon. He was trying to capture her cat, Meina, but Maya struck a bargain-either leave her and Meina alone, or she would reveal to Kurama's family about his demon heiritage. She's been left unsure of her feelings for Kurama. _

"Alright, class!" boomed the home room teacher as he walked in. "Welcome back to your second semester here. Pretty soon your lives as high school students will be over-at the end of this year, you'll be official graduates. Some of you'll be going to college-if you pass the entrance exams. As teachers here, we are willing to help you with preparing to take the tests-not to mention the end of the year exams you'll be taking."

The class groaned. Maya sighed and rested her head against the desk.

---------------

Maya groaned and opened the door to the roof. She let the door slam shut and she slid down the wall to the floor. "Wotta day, and it's only lunch."

She sighed and reached into her bag to get her lunch and yelped. She yanked open the bag to have Meina poke her head out. "Mew!" cooed the cat up to her mistress.

"Meina!" gasped Maya in surprise. "What are you doing_ in there!"_

The cat meowed and hopped out of the bag. Maya sighed.

"Ohh, doesn't matter anyway." she huffed and got her lunch out. Meina meowed again and waited to get a snack from the lunch bag. She sighed and ate until the bell rang. She opened up the bag, Meina jumped in, and Maya hurried to class.

She huffed as she ran through the halls, heading to class until a loud ping of the PA system as it turned on sounded and she stopped.

_"All students, please report to the auditorium at this time. All students, please report to the auditorium at this time."_

Maya's jaw dropped. "...ah..."

Her home room, to be specific, was on the opposite side of the school; to put Meina back in the home room and run to the auditorium before being late would take a miracle.

She yelped and began to dash her home room. Standing outside the room she saw her friends Akina and Sada waiting with annoyed expressions on their faces. "Maya!" shouted Sada as she approached. "Where've you been! Everyone's already left for the auditorium already!"

"I know, I know," huffed Maya as she slung the bag around her desk. "Just gotta put away my bag. Okay, let's hurry!" she yelped as she and her friends raced down the halls. Meina waited a moment then popped her head out of the bag and stared after her master. She jumped out of the bag and landed quietly on the floor. Sitting down to bathe herself, Meina stopped and perked up. Rotating her ears back and forth, she let out a long hiss.

---------------

Uptil one week ago, Kurama was not really content, but had accepted the knowledge that Maya had no recollection of him.

That was until one week ago, Maya had called him Shuichii and had threatened him of "telling his mother on him".

Now, he was left very confused and slightly wary. Maya had explictedly said to stay away from her and Meina, the demon nekonata, and of course, he had accepted it with more grace than he had suspected of himself. He had seemed ready enough to let this human girl slip away from him forever.

...well, seeming ready and being ready are two very different things.

He had felt oddly detached from the world, well more so than usual, and confused. He shoved the problem-what ever it was-to the back of his mind and had decided to try and forget about the whole thing.

Well, forgetting had become a whole lot harder than he imagined, especially with that cat jumping on him, hissing and spraying spit. "Yow!" he yelped as it dug it's claws deep into his shoulder and wondered if Meina had gone insane. He was at his school, walking through the hallways to go back class after being excused to use the bathroom when this cat had shot out from around the corner-he hardly had the time to turn around when she had latched on, obviously he had underestimated it's speed-and began making such a racket.

"Ow, let go, ow!" Particularly deep clawing on his shoulder, that's going to leave a mark. "Ow, ow, Meina, listen to me!" People had begun to stick their heads out their classroom doors to look at him. He gave them a nervous grin, reached up and yanked the cat away from his clothes-she took a large scrap of cloth from his back in her back paws.

"Shuichii, is that your cat?" asked one of the students. He managed to laugh, if not nervously.

"Um, no, no, just a stray-I'll be sticking him outside now." and with that he used all his will power not to run, and walked out of the building. "You-" the cat hissed at him violently as he talked, "-had better have a good explanation for jumping on me and scratching me like that."

Meina stopped jerking about and began meow her answer at him at a fast pace. He raised his brows-his nekonata was a little rusty but he'd have to make due. He listened carefully trying to pick out what she was saying. Unfortunately he only really understood three words: "Maya" "school"(or the round about word for school) and "trouble".

He nearly dropped the cat in shock. "Repeat that!"

Meina gave him a long look that told him she thought he was an idiot. She meowed again this time very slowly. The message was the same.

---------------

Maya and her friends huffed as they reached the auditorium. "Maya, now were really late!" hissed Sada as she peaked through the windows of the auditorium doors. "I'm going to try to sneak in..."

Maya and Akina watched as she quietly opened the door and squeezed through the sizable gap. She let the door shut silently and moved to sit by others in their class. Akina moved forward and repeated her friend's actions.

Curious, Maya stood up and peaked through the windows again. The school administrators were there with the staff standing at the front on a stage; the principal began to speak.

"Welcome back, students!" Polite applause. "We the staff are here today to wish you all good luck with your studies-" More polite applause. "-and to give you a very special message."

Maya raised a brow; what message would be so special that they couldn't just announce it over the P.A. system or in a letter? She waited for the principal to talk again.

"Students of Sakuramoto High School-"

Suddenly, Akina screamed and fainted in her seat. Everyone jumped up. Maya opened her mouth in horror and threw open the door with a bang. "AKINA!" she shouted as she rushed to her friend's side. Akina slumped back pale and unconscious. Sada whimpered.

"Maya, oh, Maya, what's wrong with her!"

The principal continued. "-prepare to DIE!"

Maya looked back to the principal and her eyes widened in terror as several long tentacles sprouted to his back. More screams, and more people fell unconscious. Maya grabbed Akina's arm and tugged at Sada. "WE'VE GOT TO GO!"

"What about Akina!"

"We'll bring her-c'mon!"

---------------

Kurama followed Meina as she sprinted ahead of him. She gave a sharp turn and slipped through metal bars of gate, she stopped and turned her head back to watch as he leapt over the bars. She gave a look that he read as "show off" and ran straight to the building, curbed away from the doors and leapt through an open window on the first floor. Kurama sighed-jumping through the window would be a tight fit. He gripped the frame and carefully slipped through.

Inside he found himself in what looked like the teacher's lounge. Meina waited for him to get fully inside before turning back and running to the door. She scratched impatiently at the door as he followed her. Before he could open it, she had pulled it open a crack and slipped out. With a sigh, he tossed the door open and took off at a run following her.

---------------

Maya clutched one of Akina's arms while Sada pulled the other. They tugged their unconicious friend through the halls, running for the exits. Panting, they gulped deep breathes and reached a stair well. "C'mon, Sada...just a little farther...one more stairwell...and then...we're home-oof!-free!"

"You said that-ooh, ouch!-two stairwells ago!" she joked. Maya rolled her eyes.

"Oh, great time for humor, Sada!" she snapped.

_"Meeeeeeeeooooooooooooooooowwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww..."_

Maya jumped. Sada blinked.

"Maya? What is it?"

Maya blinked and turned back. In the distance, she heard a loud meow again. "...Meina?"

The lights in the building flickered and died. Sada whimpered and Maya tried to hush her. Down the dark hallways two pricks of lights glowed-like lamp light on a cat's eyes. "Meina!"

"Meeeeeooooowww..."

"Meina!" she gasped and nearly let go of Akina.

"Maya!" gasped Sada bending down with Akina's slack body weight falling more on her. "Maya, I can't care her by myself-let's go!"

"Meina!" whispered Maya, ignoring Sada. "Meina, c'mon, we're lea-"

**_"MaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaarrrrrrRRRRRRRRRRRRRRROOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWW!"_**

"MAYA!" screamed Sada and tugged Akina forward.

"-ving..." gasped Maya. She turned around and hurriedly began dragging her friends behind. "RUN!" Behind her, she heard a whistling noise shot above her head and the window in front of them shattered. They both shrieked. Sada lost her footing and all three of them tumbled half way down the stairs to the next landing. Sada gasped as her head thumped hard against the floor and she lost consciousness. Maya gasped in pain and stared at her swelling ankle. By her side, Akina groaned and stilled.

High above them, nearing the stairwell, Maya saw several long tentacles slithering to the stairs. She whimpered as a sluggish mass slunk up at the steps-it was a disgusting smelling creature-demon, demon, demon, chided her mind-that reeked of swamps and dried blood. It had too many eyes and a large parted sucking gash for a mouth.

"Oh...god." she whispered. She wished quickly not for her demon cat, her sweet little protector, but for a hero she _knew _wasn't coming because he couldn't come and wouldn't know until far too late if he ever knew at all.

So that made her delusional, because wasn't that him right in front of her now?

She gaped a minute and mental smacked herself, and yelped as she felt Meina licking her abused ankle. She looked down at her and back up at Kurama and sucked in her breath. "Oh..."

"Maya."

She blinked and gaped up at him. "Uh-yes?"

"Are you okay?" he asked and she was nearly giddy because he was asking if _she _was okay, not if all _three _of them, and ...oh, wait, she nearly forgot to answer him!

"Yeah! I hurt my ankle in the fall but it's Sada and Akina I'm worried about!" He nodded and turned back to the demon. "...how'd you know to come?"

"You..." he grinned wryly, "can blame that cat of yours."

"Oh." she murmured looking down at the cat, who sat on her haunches, looking rather proud of herself and waving her tail back and forth. She looked back up and noticed that a rather nice chunk of the back of his jacket is gone. "...ahh, I can pay for that...or at least try and fix it."

"Don't worry, Maya." he said lifting a hand to his hair. In a flash of demonic energy a long, thorny whip appeared in his hand. He kept his eyes trained on his enemy. "I'll this all taken care of. You may want to close your eyes..."

She nodded though he couldn't see it and clutched her eyes shut. A sickening noise, flesh tearing no doubt, seeped into her ears and the monster gave one last shriek before giving into death. She blinked and looked back up at him. He turned and tucked his whip which glowed and shrank into something-she didn't get a clear look-back into his hair. "Maya."

"Ah-yes?" she murmured.

"Can you walk?"

"I don't-" she looked down at her ankle-the bruises were gone as was the swelling. "Oh!" She remembered Meina licking her ankle... She turned to the cat and blinked. "Did you?"

"Miya!" she meowed proudly and jumped to her shoulders. Maya shrugged and stood up-her foot held and she remained upright. She smiled and nodded.

"I'll be fine!" she assured him, bouncing of the balls of her feet. Meina mewled in protest and jumped down. Maya blinked and looked at Sada and Akina. "What should we do for them?" she asked bending down and resting her hand on Akina's forehead. Kurama bent down and grabbed Sada's arm and hefted her up.

"We'll carry them outside." he explained. Maya nodded.

"Okay!" she said pulling Akina up. Meina mewled and bounded ahead, eager to lead the way out.

---------------

Maya groaned as she pulled Akina along. At her side, Kurama tugged Sada as they both followed Meina. The cat walked lightly ahead of them, tails twisting and twinging about. She tapped out a tattoo with her paws, her claws tapping a rhythm out as she walked along. The cat mewed suddenly and ran ahead. Kurama blinked and Maya's eyes shined eagerly.

"Saw the exit, Meina? Good girl! Now just stay there and wait." she grunted as she hurried. Meina mewed prancing about and scratching eagerly at the door. With a groan, Maya leaned against the door let it pop open. She leaned against holding it open for Kurama as he tried to slid by. Several students that stood outside the building called out to Maya.

"Maya!"

"Oh my goodness! Maya! Sada! Akina!"

"Oh no, look at them!"

Several students ran over and pulled Sada and Akina from her and Kurama's grasp. Maya sighed and sagged against the door frame. She blinked and turned to Kurama; he had turned back to the doors and was heading back inside. "Kurama...?" she whispered.

He stopped and looked back at her. "I'm heading back inside-I'll stop the other demons." He dug into his pocket and withdrew Yusuke's communication mirror from inside. "I'll be calling for some of my friends, so no need to worry."

She blinked and pulled herself away from the wall. "I'll come too-"

"No."

She blinked-well, that sound kinda harsh. He must have thought so too because his expression softened. "I'll be fine for now-and you could only get in my way with your fatigue. It would be better for both of us if you remained here."

She stood there, feeling sore and tired and oddly jilted. She nodded and sighed. "Alright-be careful; the school's bigger than you think-try not to get lost or snuck up on." He nodded and turned back and entered the building.

---------------

Maya rested quietly, her arms wrapped around her knees, nearly nodding off in a doze as she sat on her bed. Meina mewwed quietly and rested against her hip. After paramedics had arrived on the scene, the entire school populace seemed to be under the impression that their principal was actually a cracked weirdo who had staged the entire thing. She hadn't understood-till she saw Kurama's blue haired friend sitting on an oar along with several others on oars and she could only guessed they had modified everyone's memory. A paramedic had examined her quickly and to her indignation sent her home-she insisted she remain at the school saying a friend was still inside but the medic had been firm and sent her home.

_Taptap._

Maya blinked and looked at her window. Sitting on an oar outside her window, the blue haired girl from before waved at her to open the window. Maya blinked slowly then reached over and unlatched the lock and pulled it open. "Ah...yes?"

"Hello!" cheered the girl. "I was sent to tell you that everything's alright-your friends, fellow students, and even the faculty are alright."

Maya released her breath in a big _whoosh_ and placed a hand to heart and smiled up at her. "Really? Everyone's alright?"

Botan blinked and pressed a finger to her lips. "Yes, everyone, but the poor principal's had some rather nasty bumps to the head. He's fine too, but were going to have to modify everyone's memory later-can't have him mobbed for something he didn't do! But, ah...well, I have got to tell you that you aren't going to be attending school for a while."

Maya blinked. "Why?"

"Oh!" giggled Botan. "Because Yusuke got a little ahead of himself and put a hole in the roof!" Maya's jaw dropped and she couldn't help but laugh. After she had calmed down, Botan waved to her and had begun to leave when Maya stopped her.

"Hey, wait!"

"Yes?" answered Botan bemused.

"What's your name?"

"Oh, it's Botan!" she laughed.

Maya nodded. "Alright, Botan, I'm going to ask you a question-why were you guys after Meina?" Maya watched as Botan stilled then steered her oar back closer to her window.

"Well, Maya, to be entirely truthful, it was for your own good." she answered.

Maya blinked in surprise. "My own good? Taking Meina away is for my own _good?"_

Botan sighed. "Yes, you see, Meina's been drawing demons to her-she's been getting rid of them but it would only be a matter of time before one too big for her to stop would have come and you both would have been in big trouble."

"Oh..."

Botan perked up quickly. "Since I told you this, are you willing to let us take Meina back to where she belongs?"

Maya blinked then peered back to Meina-she sat on her haunches, tails wrapped around her feet, ears perked and eyes trained on her, waiting for her answer. Maya smiled at Meina. "Nope. She isn't a pet, she's my _friend_. And if she wants to stay here, she can stay as long as she wants!" she exclaimed with fiery conviction in her eyes and her fist upraised.

Meina didn't seem to care that Maya's speech had caused a pleased gleam in Botan's eye-all she cared about was what Maya said. With a loud meow, she sailed through the air and alighted on Maya's shoulders. Maya yelped in surprise as Meina began to rub herself against Maya's neck, her two tails tickling Maya's chin.

"Woah! Hee, I guess I said the right thing, huh?" she laughed to Botan, who nodded and waved.

"Yes, you certainly did-now I must be going! I have something important to tell my superior." she said before disappearing on her oar into the night.

---------------

"Alright, Botan, ready?" piped Hinageshi at her elbow. Botan nodded, mouth to dry to speak. Ayame on her other side patted her arm.

"Botan, remember what we talked about and it will be fine." Botan nodded again. Ayame nodded to Hinageshi who opened the door to Koenma's office and stepped inside with Ayame giving Botan a gentle push. Botan sucked in a deep breath and walked up to Koenma's desk.

Behind his desk, Koenma raised a brow at them-eager Botan hardly ever asked for support from the other ferry girls when she had to report to him. He gave them a skeptical look. "Something wrong, girls?"

"Lord Koenma, sir..." Botan trailed off before continuing on, nearly blurting out her words. "I would like to make a request on behave of Maya Kitajima remaining the nekonata, Meina's caretaker henceforth!"

Koenma sat for a minute blinking confusedly. "Botan...repeat that please."

"I ...want Maya to keep Meina!"

"...why?" dead panned Koenma.

"For one, our research on nekonatas is really limited-and nekonata and human interactions even more so!" Good thing she had had Amaye coach her through this. "It would benefit us greatly to be able to keep an account on such."

Koenma placed a hand to his temple and rubbed it. "Botan, Ayame help you with this, didn't she?"

"...ah..."

"Fine, forget the question." Koenma looked and stared into her eyes. "Why do _you _want Maya to keep Meina?"

"...because it would be wrong to separate!" she shouted fervently shocking the three other occupants in the room. "I mean, they understand each other, and take care of each other, and they're friends, and it...is still wrong to take them away from each other!"

Koenma sat there staring at her before huffing, and grabbing a pile of papers and shuffling them. "As it happens, I've already made my decision on the nekonata case involving Miss Kitajima."

Botan froze. "You...did?"

"Yes." he said decisively and busied himself with the papers for a moment, ignoring and infuriating her. "...the nekonata Meina is to remain in Maya Kitajima's custody and the Spirit World will be making a study on them to help expand our records on nekonatas...which will now include human interaction with humans, as per your suggestion...anything to report, Botan?"

Botan stood there a moment then shrieked with joy and clutched Hinageshi's hands in an improtu victory dance. Koenma's eye twitched and he sighed. So much for appreciation from this bunch!


End file.
